Hi ~

    I am so glad that my story has helped you.  I am going to try to give you an answer to the question... 

"Can I get a little more information on what else is on the list of "ok" things to eat? " 

 

    As for things that would be on the "okay" list, it is all protein items.  Eggs, Chicken, beef, pork, fish, cheese, milk, cottage cheese.  What I have found to be helpful is a simple guide that I follow when I am eating during the day.  I try to look at packages and find the highest protein content along with the highest natural fiber content.  For breakfast I found a cereal that actually tastes really good (this is my personal opinion:)) from Quaker.  It is Quaker Oatbran, which has a high fiber content and is higher in protein.  This has 7 grams of protein in a serving, one and a quarter cups and when you add a cup of milk to the bowl you have 15grams of fiber.  I stood in the cereal aisle for a long time comparing labels one day and found this to be the best one.

 

    Another thing that I have done for my breakfast is made a breakfast shake.  I buy whey protein powder and mix 1 cup milk, 1 scoop powder, frozen banana (about 1/3 banana cut into small slices), frozen blueberries (about a handful), frozen strawberries (2-3 berries), and a large spoonful (about a tablespoon) of frozen concentrate orange juice (I buy the can and just scoop it out.).  I mix all of this in a blender and enjoy a big boost of protein first thing in the morning.  This helped a lot with my energy levels.  I think you end up with around 30g of protein which is a lot more than the cereal or egg breakfast! 

 

    Realistically, by the time you are in your third semester of pregnancy, you should be eating 80-100 grams of protein a day.  This is the equivalent of 5 chicken breasts.  But I don't know about you, I would be sick of chicken if that was all I ate!  LOL  So I learned that a cheeseburger patty with cheese has about 35g of protein.  I learned to eat things without the buns, extra carbs, and eat my meat on salads so that I get the benefit of the green vegetables.  Also, traditionally it has been a misconception that eating out can't possibly healthy diet friendly, but try eating salads with meat on them.  Also it is still better to eat a quarter-pounder with cheese than to eat only a vegetable salad for a meal.  If you have to make a choice, it is better to choose that whopper than a plain salad.  But as long as you don't make a habit out of it, you'll be fine.

Also on eating out.  Arby's has great sandwiches which are a leaner meat.  These are great for a quick meal when you don't have time to fix food for yourself. Not everyone has the time to spend making meals and sometimes just the nausea of pregnancy makes it more difficult to prepare food.  When you go out, try to get the baked items or lean items combined with a veggie salad.  If  you are a vegetarian, you will have to do a lot of research on the proper combinations of beans and grains to get the correct amount of protein nutrition for your baby and you.

    

For dessert, try cheesecake!  The bigger the slice the better for the protein, but it does have a lot of sugar which is a carb, but if you really need dessert, like me, this works great:)  If you get a strong craving for some carbs, try eating whole grain breads.  These have more protein per serving than white breads and will help with any constipation you might be experiencing.  I use Brownberry Health nut or 12 grain.  I have found these to exceptional and for convenience, I don't have to be baking. 

 

   Also for lunch, I don't know if you ever go to Applebee's but they have wonderful chicken salads.  I always get one when I am in there.  I also make this type of food at home so that I get the vegetable, but enjoy meat also.  Even today, I simply put leftover chili over a plate of salad with some shredded cheddar cheese and ate a wonderful high protein lunch.  Another idea is to quick cook a chicken breast with seasonings, cut into bite-size pieces, shred some cheese and let it melt over top then put on top of salad greens for a quick meal.  You can top this with your favorite salad dressing for more flavor. 

 

    Dinner is a simple fair, try a baked meat with seasoning, small serving of pasta, rice or potato, and some cooked veggies.  If you like, make broccoli and simply sprinkle some shredded cheddar on top and it will melt and add a few more grams of protein to your day.  If you would like some more ideas, let me know.  I have been doing this for a while lol and have learned to make life interesting for me with my diet!  LOL  Also adding a glass of milk to each meal will increase your protein consumption.

 

Also, I will be trying to add a few new recipes to my kitchen web page, so check there for recipes high in nutrition and protein.

 Kelly's Kitchen

 Love,
Kelly